Plenty of changes are happening at UCLA − but its quarterback remains the same.

Nico Iamlaeava was practicing with the team on Wednesday, Sept. 17, three days after the Bruins fired second-year coach Deshaun Foster.

While it shouldn’t be a total surprise for a team’s starting quarterback to be practicing, it’s a noteworthy because Foster’s departure opened a 30-day transfer portal window for Bruins players. And since the firing happened before the team played four games, players that have not redshirted can retain a year of eligibility if they leave the team.

While Iamaleava has already used his redshirt and wouldn’t be able to join another team until the spring semester, his participation in practice signals he plans to continue play with the Bruins, for now.

Hours after Foster was fired, atheltic director Martin Jarmond told reporters he spoke with the team and no players indiciated they were thinking about transferring. Interim coach Tim Skipper shared a similar sentiment ahead of practice.

‘Had very positive conversations with our guys. There’s nothing to announce or report that way,’ Skipper said. ‘This university, this campus, this coaching staff, has a lot to offer to these guys. You remind them of that, and they see it. They see how our energy is every day, and we’re just going to take it one day at a time and keep on working.’

UCLA plays next at Northwestern on Sept. 27. Iamaleava has until Oct. 14 to enter the portal, allowing him to play in the next three games against Northwestern, Penn State and Michigan State. The Bruins host Maryland on Oct. 18, three days after the window closes.

UCLA part ways with defensive coordinator

While UCLA’s starting quarterback is still with the team, its defensive coordinator is not.

Skipper announced the Bruins parted ways with defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe. He did not disclose why the two sides separated.

Malloe joined the staff in December 2022 as a defensive position coach and took was interim defensive coordinator for UCLA’s bowl game in 2023. Afterward, he was officially given the position.

Defense was UCLA’s strongsuit in Malloe’s first full season, ranking sixth in the country in rushing defense (96.2). However, the unit has struggled out of the gate in 2025, ranking near the bottom of several categories including:

• Scoring defense: 36 points per game (121st out of 134 teams)
• Total defense: 431 yards per game (117th)
• Rushing defense: 244 yards per game (132nd)
• Defensive passing efficency: 184.7 (132nd)
• Defensive third down percentage: 62.2% (133rd)

• How damaging is an 0-2 start? Nearly 88% of teams that have started that way since 1990 have missed postseason.
• But what happened last season that might offer added hope to 2025’s winless clubs?
• And what did Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes say following his first 0-2 start?

Panic mode. Desperation time. A proverbial cold sweat. Tightened … well, ya know. All euphemisms synonymous with the dreaded 0-2 start in the NFL – recently anyway.

Turns out, maybe what coaches, players and fans should be doing is taking a beat and resetting − all isn’t necessarily lost.

How Zen is Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who just lost his opening two games for the first time since 2014 – his second year in K.C. and the only instance since he’s been with the franchise that it didn’t make the playoffs?

“I trust this group. I mean, this group’s a good group – got good leadership and they’ll stay together,” Reid said Monday, a day after the Chiefs lost their Super Bowl 59 rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Sure, it’s easier to remain on an even keel when you’ve reached five of the past six Super Bowls and won three of them.

Added Reid: “(T)hey’ll work hard on cleaning things up, there’s nobody more aware of it than the guys, and we’ll make sure we get back to the drawing board.”

It’s almost as if he doesn’t know (or care) that, since the playoff field expanded to 12 teams in 1990, only three teams – the 1993 Cowboys, 2001 Patriots and 2007 Giants, all legendary in their own right – of the 288, or 1.04%, that have begun 0-2 over that period have won the Super Bowl.

“It’s just the little things,” Ryans said Tuesday, following his team’s last-second loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night.

“We talk about technique, we talk about decision-making, we’re talking about tackling. We talk about all the little things that we control, that we can fix. I’m excited to see what it looks like moving forward.”

The deck is most definitely stacked against Houston, Kansas City and the eight other currently winless clubs. Since 1990, just 12.2% of 0-2 teams have rebounded to qualify for postseason. Just 6.6% have come back to secure a division.

Yet the 17-game regular-season schedule, which took effect in 2021, and 14-team playoff field first introduced in 2020 both provide an increased margin for error. That was certainly the case last season, when three of the nine teams that started 0-2 wound up in the Super Bowl tournament. Two (Rams, Ravens) won their divisions and got as far as the divisional round of the postseason.

The weight of the historical data is daunting, suggesting just one of this year’s 0-2 squads will overcome its circumstances to endure into in Week 19. But last year’s snapshot is proof that more teams surely can.

Let’s rank all 10 by their postseason viability from least likely to most:

10. Cleveland Browns

They looked competitive in a Week 1 loss to the Bengals but decidedly weren’t in Sunday’s 24-point defeat at Baltimore. In addition to being mired in a highly competitive division, it stands to reason that the Browns will eventually turn to rookie QBs Dillon Gabriel and/or Shedeur Sanders in order to assess where they are organizationally at the position ahead of the 2026 draft, when Cleveland is scheduled to have two first-round picks. Lastly, history is an even bigger barrier to this franchise. Of the 16 previous times the Browns started 0-2 since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, only the 1980 “Kardiac Kids” led by MVP Brian Sipe persevered to make the postseason.

9. New York Giants

Despite finishing 3-14 last year, the G-Men, who have several young and talented players on their roster, nevertheless wound up with the league’s hardest schedule (based on opponents’ collective 2024 winning percentage, .574). Unlike the Browns, New York appears to have its quarterback of the future, 2025 first-rounder Jaxson Dart, and might be obliged to look for a spark and start him at some point given how well he played in the preseason. But Russell Wilson, who had a vintage performance in Sunday’s loss to Dallas, just bought himself more playing time, for whatever it’s worth amid this murders’ row of a lineup he and his team must face, including the equally desperate Chiefs in Week 3. And a note for the historians: Since those magical 2007 Giants started 0-2 before ruining the Patriots’ perfect season in Super Bowl 42, Big Blue has lost its first two games in 10 subsequent seasons, including 2025 … and failed to reach postseason in all of them to date.

8. New Orleans Saints

They seem a little high? Fair. But let’s acknowledge that they have established, proud players on the roster, and both of their losses have been by one score. The Saints also – seemingly – play in a more forgiving division than the Giants or Browns. But, yeah, New Orleans also doesn’t have a quarterback in the building who’s ever won an NFL game. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is the 24th time the Saints have started 0-2 in their 59-season history. Perhaps surprisingly, this is the first time it’s happened in the post-Drew Brees era.

7. Tennessee Titans

Cam Ward is a wild card, figuratively and literally given his heretofore daredevil playing style. But is he really going to join the likes of John Elway and Andrew Luck as the only quarterbacks drafted No. 1 overall to lead their teams to the playoffs as rookies since the merger? Is a team that’s gone 3-16 under coach Brian Callahan suddenly going to catch fire? Since relocating to Tennessee in 1997, the Titans haven’t successfully rallied from their six previous 0-2 starts. Still, if Ward and Co. can survive the season’s first half, the schedule does look manageable, with a heavy serving of games in Nashville, following a Week 10 bye.

6. New York Jets

They haven’t made the playoffs since 2010 regardless of circumstances − and this is the NYJ’s fifth 0-2 start over the past nine seasons. After an encouraging Week 1 loss to Pittsburgh, the Jets were blown out by Buffalo and lost QB Justin Fields to the concussion protocol. Perhaps veteran QB2 Tyrod Taylor can stabilize the situation. Perhaps rookie coach Aaron Glenn, a Bill Parcells protégé, can spark an unexpected heater … which would be appropriate given Parcells was the last coach to dig this team out of an 0-2 hole, the 1998 squad advancing all the way to the AFC title game. But come on, it’s the Jets.

5. Miami Dolphins

Yes, this spot feels grossly optimistic for these seemingly drowning fish, er, mammals. They sound bad. They look bad. No AFC team has allowed more points (66) or has a worse point differential (-31). No coach in the league appears to be on a hotter seat than Mike McDaniel. But let’s also grant him deserved credit given Miami reached the playoffs in two of his first three seasons and had a top-six offense league-wide in both of those years. And while durability is always a concern with QB Tua Tagovailoa, he’s also an established and efficient Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback operating in a division that only seems to have one imposing team … albeit a Buffalo squad set to host the Fins on Thursday night and threatening to push them into an 0-3 grave.

4. Chicago Bears

This also feels like a glass that’s close to 75% full for a team that clearly seems to remain in hibernation. Second-year QB Caleb Williams continues to struggle to live up to his astronomical pre-draft hype from a year ago. In fairness to him, this is two offensive systems in two years, and rookie coach Ben Johnson’s playbook is far more demanding. Also, with so much scrutiny on Williams, it’s easy to gloss over the fact that the Bears are the only team that’s allowed more points (79) or been outscored by a wider margin (34 points) than Miami. And a 2025 postseason trip was always going to be a high bar given Chicago was the only team in its division that didn’t go to the playoffs last season. Yet hope for positive and sudden growth remains – if Williams starts grasping Johnson’s system, which produced spectacular results in Detroit during the previous three seasons, and if the defense starts clicking under new coordinator Dennis Allen. There’s certainly no shortage of talent on this roster.

3. Carolina Panthers

They showed the same fight in the second half of Sunday’s near-miss loss at Arizona that they displayed during the second half of last season. Both of their defeats have come on the road, and Carolina plays in a division that hasn’t set a high bar for success in recent years. Still, the Panthers must survive a battered offensive line and still suspect defense. Also, history. They’ve now started 0-2 14 times in their 31-season history – nearly half of them – but have surmounted that obstacle into a playoff berth just once.

2. Houston Texans

After Ryans’ charges started 0-2 two years ago, the Texans won 11 of their next 16 games, including a victory in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Many key players from that group remain, notably QB C.J. Stroud, WR Nico Collins, DE Will Anderson Jr. and CB Derek Stingley Jr. This year’s edition is winless – but the losses came by a combined six points to teams (Rams, Bucs) that were division winners in 2024. Yes, there might be a level of discomfort given how the AFC South rival Indianapolis Colts have broken from the starting gate … and maybe more so given this retooled offense has scored a league-low 28 points. But let’s give a squad that’s reached the divisional round of the past two postseasons, features a potentially dominant defense and has a dynamic young HC-QB combo the grace period it’s earned.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Duh. Yep, it’s uncharted territory as it pertains to the past decade, K.C. trying to win its 10th consecutive AFC West crown. Yes, this marks the first time QB Patrick Mahomes has started 0-2 or lost three consecutive NFL games when you factor in the blowout loss to Philly in Super Bowl 59. Yes, TE Travis Kelce continues to look like a declining player, whose admittedly poor route discipline during the Week 1 loss in Brazil is responsible for the shoulder injury that’s limited dynamic WR Xavier Worthy to three snaps this season.

But … these are the dynastic Chiefs. They’ve lost close contests to the Chargers and Eagles, who are shaping up as two of the league’s top teams. Week 3 brings a date with the Giants, the Chiefs favored to win by nearly a touchdown on the road and likely to have Worthy back. Suspended WR Rashee Rice will return next month. Still, the Chiefs aren’t awash in wiggle room, the schedule set to serve up the Ravens, Lions, Commanders and Bills … before the Week 10 bye.

“We played two good football teams and made mistakes in big moments – stuff that we’re not used to doing,” Mahomes said after Sunday’s loss. “But I think we’re coming together as a team, man. I mean, when you deal with adversity it’s about how you deal with it and obviously, this isn’t how we wanted to start. But how are we going to respond? So, I’m excited for the next few weeks to see who wants to be challenged and how we can get back and really get after it.

“Obviously, we’ve never been 0-2, but we’ve had times where we’ve dealt with challenges before and lost games. I think the guys that we have in this locker room will go back to work with that mindset of, ‘We’re going to continue to work even harder,’ so that when we step on that field this next time, we can find a way to win in those big moments, like we haven’t in these first two weeks.”

Plenty of changes are happening at UCLA − but its quarterback remains the same.

Nico Iamlaeava was practicing with the team on Wednesday, Sept. 17, three days after the Bruins fired second-year coach Deshaun Foster.

While it shouldn’t be a total surprise for a team’s starting quarterback to be practicing, it’s a noteworthy because Foster’s departure opened a 30-day transfer portal window for Bruins players. And since the firing happened before the team played four games, players that have not redshirted can retain a year of eligibility if they leave the team.

While Iamaleava has already used his redshirt and wouldn’t be able to join another team until the spring semester, his participation in practice signals he plans to continue play with the Bruins, for now.

Hours after Foster was fired, atheltic director Martin Jarmond told reporters he spoke with the team and no players indiciated they were thinking about transferring. Interim coach Tim Skipper shared a similar sentiment ahead of practice.

‘Had very positive conversations with our guys. There’s nothing to announce or report that way,’ Skipper said. ‘This university, this campus, this coaching staff, has a lot to offer to these guys. You remind them of that, and they see it. They see how our energy is every day, and we’re just going to take it one day at a time and keep on working.’

UCLA plays next at Northwestern on Sept. 27. Iamaleava has until Oct. 14 to enter the portal, allowing him to play in the next three games against Northwestern, Penn State and Michigan State. The Bruins host Maryland on Oct. 18, three days after the window closes.

UCLA part ways with defensive coordinator

While UCLA’s starting quarterback is still with the team, its defensive coordinator is not.

Skipper announced the Bruins parted ways with defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe. He did not disclose why the two sides separated.

Malloe joined the staff in December 2022 as a defensive position coach and took was interim defensive coordinator for UCLA’s bowl game in 2023. Afterward, he was officially given the position.

Defense was UCLA’s strongsuit in Malloe’s first full season, ranking sixth in the country in rushing defense (96.2). However, the unit has struggled out of the gate in 2025, ranking near the bottom of several categories including:

• Scoring defense: 36 points per game (121st out of 134 teams)
• Total defense: 431 yards per game (117th)
• Rushing defense: 244 yards per game (132nd)
• Defensive passing efficency: 184.7 (132nd)
• Defensive third down percentage: 62.2% (133rd)

The Los Angeles Chargers will be without their top edge rusher for at least four weeks.

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh announced Wednesday the team will place Khalil Mack on injured reserve due to an elbow injury.

Mack dislocated his elbow during the first quarter of the Chargers’ 20-9 Week 2 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Mack’s arm bent awkwardly when he attempted to tackle Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker.

The edge rusher clutched his elbow immediately after the play and went into the team’s blue medical tent. He was eventually escorted to the team’s locker room.

Mack was seen on the sideline during the second half with his arm in a sling and had the same arm protected with a sling in the postgame locker room.

Mack’s injury is a big loss for the Chargers, but the silver lining is he won’t miss the remainder of the regular season.

Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree are expected to be Los Angeles’ top two outside linebackers while Mack recovers from his elbow injury. Caleb Murphy and rookie Kyle Kennard, who’s been inactive through two games, could also see more playing time.

The 2-0 Chargers host the 1-1 Denver Broncos in Week 3.

Mack’s compiled 108.5 career sacks, including 32 sacks in 52 career games with the Chargers. He won NFL Defensive Player of the Year as a member of the Raiders in 2016. He’s been elected to the Pro Bowl nine times.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

• Steve Sarkisian says it ‘could be worse.’ Yikes. What an endorsement.
• Texas backup quarterback Matthew Caldwell is a transfer who fared well at Troy.
• If Arch Manning can’t handle UTEP, how’s he going to fare against Oklahoma?

I can scarcely believe my fingers are about to type these next words, but Texas has a quarterback problem. That’s not exaggeration.

Texas ranks 15th out of 16 SEC teams in completion rate. That’s despite playing two games against cupcake opponents.

That’s a quarterback problem.

Its preseason No. 1 ranking is long gone. All those betting slips with Arch Manning as the Heisman Trophy winner will become firepit kindling once the weather turns.

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Who’s the backup quarterback at Texas? Yes, that’s a serious question.

If it was wrong to think Manning would become the next Tim Tebow just because he owns a famous surname and a lofty recruiting ranking, then it’s also wrong to think Manning cannot be benched, just because of those seven letters stitched across the back of his jersey or the five stars he attracted from recruiting evaluators.

“Could be worse,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said afterward. “We could lose.”

I can’t believe it’s come to this, but we’ve officially reached the “could be worse” stage for Texas and Manning.

If Texas had been playing an opponent other than an alphabet soup acronym school, it would have been worse.

Sarkisian compared Manning’s out-of-whack throwing mechanics to a bad golfer who’s just trying to square one up.

“Some of us here that are bad golfers, think about your golf swing,” Sarkisian said. “You try to swing hard and then you try to slow it down at the very end to make good contact. That’s never a recipe for success, and that’s not a good recipe for throwing a football, either. And I felt like that happened, at times,” against UTEP.

Just like that, I’m envisioning Manning as a double-bogey hacker at my local muni, sprinkling in a few good drives between a lot of slices, worm-burners, and shanks that whistle into the trees.

Who is Texas’ backup quarterback behind Arch Manning?

To answer the question I posed, Matthew Caldwell is Texas’ backup quarterback. A transfer, he’s played for three other schools, most recently for Troy. He played well for Troy, too.

Get a load of this, Caldwell earned “Manning Star of the Week” honors for his performance against Georgia Southern last season.

Seriously.

The Sugar Bowl, to honor the Mannings’ legacy, recognizes several quarterbacks each week for their performance. Caldwell nabbed the honors after dicing up a Sun Belt opponent for 288 passing yards and four total touchdowns.

Caldwell was a zero-star recruit coming out of Auburn High School in Alabama. He began his college career as a walk-on at Jacksonville State. In that way, he’s everything Manning isn’t.

I reviewed some film of Caldwell at Troy and saw a mobile quarterback with a quick release. You wouldn’t confuse his arm for John Elway’s, but he’s accurate.

Don’t just take it from me.

“He’s got athleticism, and he throws an accurate ball. … He’s really coachable,” Sarkisian told reporters before the season. “… He’s got really good rapport with his teammates.”

OK, so what’s the holdup? Look, I know it’s easy to build up the backup quarterback being the solution, without evidence to support it. Often, there’s a reason that guy was the backup and not the starter.

But, when Quinn Ewers struggled against Georgia last season, Sarkisian tried his backup. It just so happened the backup’s name was Manning. Now, the backup’s name is Caldwell, but the spelling of the surname shouldn’t matter.

Behind Caldwell are a pair of heralded but young and untested quarterbacks.

“The last thing I want to do is put a young player on the field if he’s not ready to play,” Sarkisian said before the season.

So, that’s that. It’s either a five-star from college football’s most famous family, or a former zero-star walk-on. Should be an easy choice, but Manning’s performance sparks the need for further evaluation.

Texas never conducted a preseason quarterback competition. Sarkisian named Manning the starter in February. With every Manning incompletion, it’s looking more and more like Sarkisian made up his mind too soon.

Maybe, Texas needs a belated quarterback competition

Manning, 21, is in his third season at Texas. He’s started five games. He’s a struggling quarterback, but not an especially young one.

Preaching patience seemed sensible after Manning struggled in the season opener against Ohio State. By Week 2, Manning was grimacing, and Sarkisian was cracking toilet jokes. Now, after this stinker against UTEP, it’s either time to see rapid improvement, or Sarkisian must evaluate his options.

I realize no coach loves an in-season quarterback controversy, and Caldwell playing well would increase scrutiny of Manning. But, what’s worse than a quarterback controversy? A roster as expensive as this one turtling up.

Texas has winless Sam Houston State up next. I can’t think of a better opponent against which to test a backup quarterback. Have Manning and Caldwell alternate quarters. Let’s see who best suits Texas’ needs, before the Longhorns resume games against big-league competition next month.

With Texas’ defense playing as well as it is, the Longhorns don’t necessarily need the next Tebow or Peyton 2.0 at quarterback. They do need a quarterback better than what Arch has been.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

(This story was updated to add a gallery.)

The fantasy football season is heading into Week 3, and having two weeks of data will help fantasy managers feel more confident in their projections moving forward.

Part of the reason for that confidence? Fantasy managers now know which defenses are shaping up to be strong units and which ones are poised to be the NFL’s weakest. The latter is particularly important knowledge for determining the best matchup-based streamers.

If you’re ever in doubt about who to start, never be afraid to consider players going up against the Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins defenses. But if you’re worried about a potential flex play going against a team like the Green Bay Packers or Minnesota Vikings, those concerns are probably warranted.

What should fantasy footballers do at each lineup position heading into Week 3? USA TODAY Sports outlines 16 players to start or sit in your fantasy matchups this week.

Fantasy football players to start in Week 3

Quarterbacks

• Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (at Chicago Bears)

The Bears have been humbled in consecutive weeks by J.J. McCarthy, who racked up three touchdowns against them in the fourth quarter of their Week 1 ‘Monday Night Football’ game, and Jared Goff, who threw for five touchdowns in a Week 2 rout.

As long as Jaylon Johnson remains out, Chicago’s secondary will remain leaky. That should give Prescott, who is averaging 43 passing attempts per game through two weeks, plenty of opportunities to make plays down the field.

• Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts (at Tennessee Titans)

Many feared Jones’ Week 1 performance was a fluke against a weak Miami Dolphins defense. But after Jones threw for 316 yards and a touchdown against a strong Denver Broncos defense, it’s time to start treating him like a high-end streamer.

The Titans rank just 21st in defensive EPA league-wide and just allowed Matthew Stafford to throw for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Jones could be in for similar production if he remains as efficient as he was against Denver.

Running backs

• Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

Mason has been the more effective of the two backs as a runner through two weeks anyway, totaling 98 yards with a 4.1 yards per carry average. That could position him to fare well against a Cincinnati defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to running backs through two weeks.

• Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders (vs. Las Vegas Raiders)

Like Mason, ‘Bill’ figures to see an increase in opportunities with his main competition, Austin Ekeler, out for the season with a torn Achilles. Jeremy McNichols or Chris Rodriguez Jr. could end up stealing some goal-line carries from Croskey-Merritt, but consider him a volume-based flex play against the Raiders.

Wide receivers

• Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

The Cowboys traded Micah Parsons on eve of the season and, through two weeks, have allowed an average of 30.5 points per game, tied for fifth-most in the NFL. Add in that Dallas just allowed Russell Wilson to throw for 450 yards and three touchdowns in Week 2 and Caleb Williams looks like an appetizing quarterback streamer.

So does Williams’ top receiver, Odunze, who currently leads the Bears in catches (13), receiving yards (165) and has all three of their touchdown receptions.

• Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers)

The Steelers defense has surprisingly struggled to start the season and has surrendered the fourth-most receiving yards to wide-outs through two games. Boutte has emerged as one of Drake Maye’s favorite weapons and is averaging 17 yards per reception.

Tight end

• Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints (at Seattle Seahawks)

Johnson’s target volume appears to be legit, as he has averaged 10 per game to open the 2025 season. The veteran has also scored in each of his outings and may have a chance to find pay dirt again facing a Seahawks defense that is thus far the lone NFL team to allowed multiple scores to tight ends thus far.

Defense/special teams:

• Atlanta Falcons (at Carolina Panthers)

The Falcons have long been searching for a consistent pass rush. It looks like they finally have found one after generating seven sacks across the first two weeks of the 2025 NFL season. Expect Atlanta to continue generate pressure and forcing mistakes against Bryce Young, who is tied for the second-most in the NFL with three interceptions and has been sacked four times.

Fantasy football players to sit in Week 3

Quarterbacks

• Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. Houston Texans)

Many will be looking for streaming options to trust in wake of injuries to Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels. Lawrence can fill that role in good matchups, as evidenced by his three touchdowns last week against the Bengals, but trusting him against a stout Texans pass rush doesn’t seem like the best play.

• Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (at Baltimore Ravens)

Goff threw for a whopping five touchdowns against the Bears last week but gets a much harder matchup against the Ravens in Week 3. The Ravens just gave Joe Flacco, a less-mobile veteran, fits in Week 2 and could do the same to Goff.

Also interesting, Goff has never thrown a touchdown pass against the Ravens in three career starts (120 attempts). That includes his 53-attempt performance in a 38-6 shellacking in Baltimore during the 2023 NFL season.

Add in Goff’s checkered history with playing outside and this seems like a spot in which to fade him.

Running backs

• TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers)

Is Henderson talented? Without a doubt. Should you trust him to get enough work in the Patriots’ backfield rotation to justify playing him as a flex? Probably not.

Rhamondre Stevenson just performed well for the Patriots in their win over the Dolphins while Antonio Gibson out-touched Henderson 6-5. The talented rookie, who was selected early in a lot of fantasy drafts, should still be stashed for when he inevitably breaks out, but until he gets more volume, his upside is limited.

• Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns (vs. Green Bay Packers)

That’s right. We’re recommending you sit both talented Ohio State rookies. In Judkins’ case, it’s less about opportunity and more about matchup. The Packers have allowed the second-fewest FPPG to running backs this season and have yet to allow a touchdown to one. Judkins may not break that trend against Jeff Hafley’s elite defense.

Wide receivers

• Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints (at Seattle Seahawks)

Olave is clearly New Orleans’ top receiver, but this is a tough matchup for him against a Seahawks defense that has allowed the fewest FPPG to wide receivers this season. Add in that Spencer Rattler is set to start in a tough road environment against a strong pressure defense (the Seahawks generate pressure at a league-best 49.4% clip) and this seems like a tough matchup for the Saints receiver.

• Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons (at Carolina Panthers)

Tight end

• Evan Engram, Denver Broncos (at Los Angeles Chargers)

Engram has been a disappointment for fantasy managers who spent a mid-round selection on him, hoping his insertion into the ‘Joker’ role in Sean Payton’s offense would spark him. Adam Trautman has out-snapped Engram thus far and as long as that continues, it’s hard to trust the veteran to be a fantasy starter.

Defense/special teams:

• Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Los Angeles Rams)

The Eagles looked much better defensively with Jalen Carter available, but they still have a hole in the secondary across from Quinyon Mitchell. The Rams have Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, so they could be uniquely positioned to expose that weakness, which could lead to a down week for the Eagles defense.

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AI-assisted summary
• Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers tops the power rankings with a 2-0 record and zero interceptions.
• Despite an 0-2 start for the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes remains in the top five of the quarterback rankings.

It’s never too early to rank quarterbacks.

The 2025 NFL regular season is two weeks in, and we have already seen some astonishing results and wild performances from gunslingers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller Baker Mayfield helped close out Week 2 with his second fourth quarter comeback in two weeks on Monday night, and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones is 2-0.

In addition, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson put on a show for the ages in the first ‘Sunday Night Football’ of the season, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are 0-2, and the Los Angeles Chargers’ offense might be more reliant on Justin Herbert than expected.

That’s all without mentioning the rash of injuries that struck the position in the first two weeks. At least two and as many as five teams – the Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders – could be missing their starting quarterbacks in Week 3.

Here’s how all 32 of the projected Week 3 starting quarterbacks rank after two weeks:

NFL quarterback power rankings: Week 3 edition

1. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

No other quarterback in the league has accomplished all of the following through two weeks: a 2-0 record, 500-plus passing yards, five-plus passing touchdowns and zero interceptions. We may look back on this season and laugh at the many predictions that Los Angeles would be a run-heavy offense.

2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Allen’s stats tick almost every box that Herbert’s have, and he makes up for his lack of touchdown passes (two so far) with two rushing scores as well. The Bills quarterback’s clutch, game-winning drive on ‘Sunday Night Football’ deserves a shout out here as well. The reigning MVP is off to a very strong start to his follow-up campaign.

3. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Jackson fell just short of Allen in last year’s MVP race, and he fell just short of Allen and his team when the two clashed in Week 1’s ‘Sunday Night Football.’ Outside of that tough loss, Jackson has looked every bit the part of an MVP candidate through two weeks. His 83.6 QBR, per ESPN, leads all quarterbacks.

4. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

Goff’s 334-yard, five-touchdown day in the Lions’ Week 2 home opener win was just what Detroit needed to quell concerns of a post-Ben Johnson regression in the wake of a rough Week 1 loss. He leads the league in completion rate (80.6) through two weeks despite already facing a Packers defense that looks like the leagues’ best and shares the NFL passing touchdown lead (6) with Jackson.

5. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

It’s hard to knock Mahomes for his team’s 0-2 start, given he’s been missing his top two receivers, his new-look offensive line is still figuring things out and tight end Travis Kelce has made back-breaking mistakes in two straight games. Mahomes ranks above even Allen with his 81.4 QBR, per ESPN.

6. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

Two weeks into his third year as the Packers’ starting quarterback, Love continues to look the part. He’s spreading his targets around semi-evenly to his many young receiving options, protecting the ball (zero interceptions) and generally playing well within the Matt LaFleur offense to keep his team ahead as his defense does its job. It’s only been two weeks, but Love is on pace for a career high in touchdown passes (34) and completion rate (66%).

7. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Through two weeks, it has appeared as though any concerns about how Stafford’s age and back problems would affect his play were overblown. The Rams are 2-0 behind Stafford’s 71% completion rate, 543 passing yards and three touchdowns. He did throw an interception late in the first half of Week 2’s game to give the Titans the chance to take the lead before halftime, but he and the Rams bounced back with a dominant second half. PFF grades Stafford as the best overall quarterback in the NFL through two weeks.

8. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

No other quarterback has led his team in fourth-quarter comebacks and game-winning drives in both games so far this season. Mayfield has been the epitome of clutch so far this season, coming through when the Buccaneers have needed it the most. His yardage tally (382) and completion percentage (60%) thus far are unimpressive, but he’s on the 10th offensive coordinator of his eight-year career. He also has five touchdowns and two impressive comeback wins already. The rest of the stats will come around soon.

9. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts

Did anyone expect this level of play from Jones in Year 7? He’s led the Colts to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2009, and he’s made the 2025 Colts the first team in the Super Bowl era to not have to punt in either of the first two games in a season. He’s also second in the NFL in passing yards (588), sixth in completion rate (71.4%) and has yet to throw an interception or lose a fumble. Oh, and he has three rushing touchdowns this year, tied for the league lead.

10. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Through two weeks, Hurts has not made the explosive impact as a passer that he did in his Pro Bowl years in 2022 and 2023. He has the second-fewest pass attempts of any quarterback that has played 100% of his team’s offensive snaps – only Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has fewer. But Hurts has protected the ball whenever he’s been asked to throw, executed multiple tush-push plays to perfection and led his team to two wins.

11. Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Maye is arguably off to the best start of any second-year quarterback in 2025. His 517 passing yards rank ninth in the NFL, his 71% completion rate ranks eighth and he has three touchdown passes with another on the ground. His one interception is a small blemish on an otherwise impressive stat line, and some of the excellent throws Maye has made on tape should make up for it.

12. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

Murray has helped lead the Cardinals to a 2-0 start with his 70.4% completion rate, 383 yards and three touchdowns. Tight end Trey McBride and second-year wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. are clearly his favorite targets, but he’s also done a nice job of spreading the love and finding his open man. He hasn’t done anything crazy so far this year, but what he has done has been good enough for two wins.

13. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons

Penix is arguably having the second-best year of all second-year quarterbacks, and like Maye, has a 1-1 record to show for it. The Falcons quarterback threw for nearly 300 yards in his 2025 season-opener against the Buccaneers, and he led what should have been a game-winning drive if not for a 44-yard field goal attempt sailing wide right. In Week 2, he played relatively mistake-free football – read: no turnovers – against a Brian Flores defense, which is an impressive feat in itself, and helped secure his team’s first win of the year.

14. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have started the 2025 season once again leaning heavily on the arm of their quarterback. Prescott has rewarded them with the league lead in completions (59) and two good performances against two divisional opponents. He faced down the Giants’ pass-rush attack in Week 2 for 361 yards and an overtime win to get the Cowboys in the win column for the first time this year.

15. Russell Wilson, New York Giants

If Wilson’s Week 1 Giants debut was lackluster, his Week 2 outing was anything but. He threw for 450 yards – two yards short of a career high – and three touchdowns against the Cowboys and showed off his patented ‘moonball’ multiple times. Unfortunately, the most memorable part of that outing might be his overtime interception on a ‘miscommunication’ that doomed the Giants to a second straight loss.

16. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers

Rodgers looked like he had turned back the clock in a Week 1 win over his former team, the Jets. Things did not go quite as swimmingly in Week 2 against the Seahawks. His 54.5% completion rate, 203 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions lent themselves to a passer rating of 58.0, the 13th-lowest in his career.

17. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Williams has looked better than his team’s 0-2 record might make one believe. He’s generally seemed more decisive and confident in making his reads in Year 1 with Ben Johnson, but his team’s Week 1 collapse against Minnesota and Week 2 blowout at the hands of Detroit have overshadowed some of that. ESPN ranks Williams 16th in QBR (57.5) and PFF ranks him 14th with a 74.7 grade.

18. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

Darnold’s first two games with Seattle have been fine. His lack of production in a Week 1 loss to the 49ers wasn’t great, and neither were his two interceptions in Pittsburgh. The Seahawks are 1-1 in the Darnold era but the jury should still be out on the quarterback, especially with his late 2024 collapse in the back of mind.

19. Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers

It took exactly one start in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense to make fans and analysts wonder what could have been if the 49ers had just drafted Jones – not Trey Lance – with the No. 3 pick in 2021.

20. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints

Rattler has played well through two weeks after winning the starting job in head coach Kellen Moore’s offense. But the young Saints quarterback hasn’t yet played on the road this year, and his first test is a big one: at Seattle in front of the some of the loudest fans in football.

21. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Lawrence’s first two games of 2025 have been shaky, another reminder of the Jaguars quarterback falling short of his sky-high expectations when he entered the league in 2021. But it’s worth asking how much Lawrence is affected by his top receiver, Brian Thomas Jr., seemingly shying away from contact and giving questionable effort, and his No. 2 receiver, Travis Hunter, starting to play more on defense.

22. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders

Smith finished his first game with the Raiders with a 70.6% completion rate, 362 yards and looking like everything Las Vegas hoped he’d be when it traded for him. His second game was not so good. Smith’s accuracy was all over the place against the Chargers, and his three interceptions were concerning in the 20-9 loss Monday night.

23. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

Ward got on the board with his first career touchdown in Week 2. The cross-body, cross-field throw he made was a perfect cross of ‘oh my gosh, look at the arm on this kid’ and ‘oh my gosh, why did he make that decision.’ In other words: he looked like a rookie quarterback with raw talent that needs refining.

24. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

It might be fair to start wondering if Stroud’s ‘sophomore slump’ was more anomaly or red flag. He’s graded out as one of the worst passers by both ESPN’s QBR metric (34.8 is 30th in the NFL) and PFF (55.4 passing grade is 32nd of 34). Stroud deserves patience while he works through the season with a new offensive coordinator and reworked offensive line.

25. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

PFF grades Nix as the worst quarterback in the NFL through two weeks with a 40.9 overall grade that includes an abysmal 39.0 passing grade. At least he has one win this year, though it wasn’t exactly thanks to his 176 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions against the Titans Week 1.

26. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

Tagovailoa’s Week 1 performance against the Colts was about as ugly as it gets: 14-of-23, 114 yards, one touchdown to two interceptions and a lost fumble. Week 2 was something of a bounce-back statistically, with a completion rate above 80% and more than 300 yards, but a brutal interception in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter doomed his team to a second straight loss.

27. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Young looked a lot more like the pre-benching, inconsistent version of himself in Week 1, but flashes of intriguing play popped back up in Week 2, when he nearly led the Panthers to an unlikely comeback win against the Cardinals.

28. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns

Through two games in his second stint with the Browns, Flacco has been unable to recapture the magic of his first stint, when he ripped off four straight 300-yard games that resulted in wins to push Cleveland into the playoffs in 2023. He was benched for rookie Dillon Gabriel in Week 2. That looks like it could be a permanent change sooner rather than later.

29. Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals

It took Browning less than one full game to throw three interceptions and tie for what was, at the time, the league lead in the statistic. Yet he still managed to complete more than 65% of his 32 pass attempts for 241 yards and two touchdowns and secure the win for Cincinnati.

30. Tyrod Taylor, New York Jets

Taylor isn’t likely to fill in for more than one game while starter Justin Fields is in concussion protocol. Like Browning, he made his 2025 debut in Week 2 after Fields exited the game. In that one appearance against the Bills, Taylor completed more than twice as many passes as Fields in the same number of attempts for more than twice as many yards. He was also responsible for the Jets’ only touchdown of the day.

31. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders

Mariota’s last start came three years and two teams ago, when he was still starting for the Falcons. In three games filling in for starter Jayden Daniels last year, he looked up to the task, but it’s hard to look past the 54.2% completion rate, 167 yards, one touchdown and an interception in his last start, a 19-16 loss to the Steelers.

32. Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings

The last time Wentz started a game that wasn’t inconsequential and in Week 18 was 2022 with the Commanders. His stat line against the Browns that day in a 24-10 loss: 16-of-28 (57.1% completion rate) passing for 143 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions. It opened the door for Washington to be eliminated from playoff contention, a fact then-head coach Ron Rivera did not seem to know, as he infamously asked in a press conference after the game, ‘We can be eliminated?’ The Commanders were eliminated later that day.

The San Francisco 49ers’ franchise quarterback is one step closer to returning to the starting lineup.

Brock Purdy was back at practice in a limited role today, per multiple reports. San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Purdy ‘has a chance’ to play Sunday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Purdy is recovering from toe and left shoulder injuries suffered in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. San Francisco won that one 17-13 over the host Seahawks on a late go-ahead touchdown from Purdy to tight end Jake Tonges.

With Purdy out of the lineup in Week 2, Mac Jones made his first start as a 49er. Jones performed well and completed 26 of 39 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns to lead San Francisco to a 26-21 win over New Orleans on the road.

Jones showed in Week 2 he is a capable starter for San Francisco if Purdy isn’t fully healthy for Week 3’s home opener against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals and 49ers are both 2-0; a win for San Francisco would bank two divisional wins early in 2025 ahead of a road matchup on a short week in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams.

San Francisco stays home for Week 4 for a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jones’ most recent team.

49ers QB depth chart

With Purdy’s status up in the air, Jones is the likely starter for now. Here’s how the rest of the position looks in San Francisco:

• Brock Purdy (injured)
• Mac Jones
• Adrian Martinez (practice squad)
• Kurtis Rourke (non-football injury list)

Now that the season is underway, there are only two ways to improve your rosters — waiver wire and trades.

Evaluating a fantasy trade can be a daunting task. Most managers value their players more than they’re actually worth. That’s where the Week 3 fantasy football trade value charts come in. You can also check out our Week 3 fantasy rankings to help with lineup and waiver decisions this week.

The charts can be used as your very own fantasy football trade analyzer in standard, half-PPR (point per reception) and full PPR leagues. Someone sends you an offer? Simply pull out a calculator (on your phone, you don’t need an actual calculator) and plug in the values for each player. Don’t worry, six-points-per-passing-touchdown and superflex leagues are covered as well.

Important note: If you’re offered an uneven trade (i.e., a 2-for-1 or 3-for-1), include the values for the players you’d be moving to the bench or dropping within your calculation. Example: If someone in your PPR league offers you Marvin Harrison Jr., RJ Harvey, and Nick Chubb (combined value of 77) for Malik Nabers (63), it might look like you’re getting the better end of it. However, if you’re bumping down, say, Bhayshul Tuten and Troy Franklin (combined value of 43) in the process, it’s a net negative deal for you.

Another note: The ‘1 QB’ values are for standard scoring leagues. Quarterback value diminishes in PPR formats, so deduct roughly 3% of their values in half-PPR and another 3% for full PPR (this number drops as the season goes on and people look to consolidate). Example: Lamar Jackson’s value in standard formats is 42. In half-PPR, his value would be 41 (deducted 3%), and in full PPR, his value would be 39 (deducted 6%).

The rankings are based on how players should be valued in 12-team leagues. Players are sorted in order of their half-PPR values.

(NOTE: App users might need to switch to a browser if the charts aren’t showing up.)

Quarterback trade value chart

(Note: ‘6/TD’ is for leagues that award six points for passing touchdowns and ‘SFLEX’ stands for superflex.)

Running back trade value chart (updated)

Wide receiver trade value chart

Tight end trade value chart

Overall Week 3 fantasy football rest-of-season rankings

Note: These values are for 12-team, one-QB leagues with half-PPR scoring.

(Note: This post has been updated following the news that Aaron Jones will be placed on IR. Jones was bumped down in value while Jordan Mason saw his value increase.)